A body scanner that uses radio waves to search passengers for concealed items has made a debut at the Little Rock National Airport.

Officials with the Transportation Security Administration demonstrated how the advanced imaging technology works during a news conference Friday shortly before passengers were slated to go through the device.

TSA employees walked into the machine, raised their hands for three seconds and then were cleared or given a pat-down search.

Jerry Henderson is the TSA federal security director in Arkansas. Henderson told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette the new machine offers increased privacy since screeners don't see an image of the actual passenger.

Instead, if something concealed is detected, the screen shows a generic figure with the problem area highlighted. That passenger would then be patted down.